Ajit Pawar, who was deputy chief minister and finance minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government, was killed in a plane crash in Baramati along with four others earlier this week.
Sunetra Pawar. Pic/PTI
NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare on Saturday met Sunetra Pawar at the official residence of her late husband Ajit Pawar in Mumbai ahead of the legislature party meeting, reported news agency PTI.
NCP working president Patel and the party's state chief Tatkare held parleys with Sunetra Pawar on the current political situation.
Ajit Pawar, who was deputy chief minister and finance minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government, was killed in a plane crash in Baramati along with four others earlier this week.
The legislature party meeting will be held at 2 pm in the Vidhan Bhavan office, following which Sunetra Pawar is expected to take oath as the deputy chief minister, reported PTI.
No idea about Sunetra's swearing-in as Maharashtra Dy CM: Sharad Pawar
Meanwhile, amid reports that Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, will be sworn in as the Maharashtra deputy chief minister, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday distanced himself from the development, claiming he had "no idea" about it.
Addressing a press conference in Baramati, Sharad Pawar said that it was his late nephew Ajit Pawar's wish to unite the NCP factions, and that they were optimistic about it.
"We didn't know about the swearing-in. We found out about it through news reports. I have no idea about the swearing-in," he said, when asked if anyone from the Pawar family would be attending the ceremony.
The senior leader said that the NCP may have made the decision, and there had been no discussions with him.
"I am not aware of the swearing-in. I didn't even know that it was scheduled for today. There was no discussion with me about the swearing-in. Her party (NCP) may have made the decision. The names of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare came up, and it is learnt that they took the initiative. They might have taken a decision internally within the party," he said.
The NCP (SP) chief said that the ruling faction may have felt that someone should take up the post after Ajit Pawar's death.
Following Ajit Pawar's death in the January 28 air crash in Baramati, a section of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders had demanded that she be given the post held by her late husband in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet.
(With inputs from PTI)
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